Flatbread pizza recipe with hummus, cherry tomato and dandelion greens

Ingredients

• 1 tin, drainedchickpeas
• 2garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp (about 30 ml)lemon juice
• ½ tspsalt
• 60 ml (¼ cup)tahini
• As neededwater
• 125 g, plus extra for dustingplain flour
• 125 gwholemeal spelt flour
• ½ tspfine sea salt
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 120 ml (½ cup)warm water
• As neededflatbreads
• As neededhummus
• 24cherry tomatoes, some halved and some left whole
• 1 tbspolive oil
• 480 ml (2 cups)dandelion greens or rocket, roughly chopped
• 60 ml (¼ cup)balsamic vinegar
• For drizzlingextra-virgin olive oil
• To tastesalt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the hummus

   Put the chickpeas, garlic and salt in a food processor and blend to a paste, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the tahini and lemon juice, then blend until smooth and creamy. For a looser texture, blend in about 1 tablespoon of water. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then refrigerate until needed.

2. 2

   Mix the dough

   Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Put both flours and the fine sea salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix to combine. Stir the olive oil into the warm water, then add the liquid while the mixer is running. Knead for 7–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If the dough does not come together, give it a couple of minutes before adding a little more water, as flour brands vary.

3. 3

   Shape the breads

   Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a circle about 20 cm (8 inches) across; the shapes do not need to be perfectly even.

4. 4

   Cook the flatbreads

   Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook one flatbread until it puffs up, about 1–2 minutes, then turn it over and cook for another minute, until it no longer looks doughy. Repeat with the remaining flatbreads.

5. 5

   Roast the tomatoes

   While cooking the flatbreads, put the tomatoes on a baking tray. Toss them with half of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10–15 minutes, until their skins begin to split or wrinkle.

6. 6

   Crisp the bases

   Place the flatbreads on a baking tray and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake for 5–7 minutes, until crisp.

7. 7

   Add the toppings

   Spread generous spoonfuls of hummus over the flatbreads, then add the dandelion greens and tomatoes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil, and serve immediately.

What is flatbread pizza?

Flatbread pizza is a quick, informal take on pizza, using a thinner bread base that can be cooked in a frying pan before it is topped. Flatbreads have roots in many food traditions, so this is best understood as a flexible, modern-style meal rather than one single regional classic.

This version layers homemade chickpea hummus with roasted tomatoes and bitter, leafy greens. The crisp base gives the creamy hummus and juicy toppings a sturdy contrast.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 478 calories, 11g protein, 64g carbs, 20g fat.

The flatbread flours provide most of the carbohydrates, while olive oil and tahini contribute much of the fat. Chickpeas and tahini supply some protein, with smaller amounts from the flours. Pair a flatbread with a generous side salad or extra vegetables for a more balanced plate.

The hummus base

Chickpeas: blending them first with garlic and salt helps break them down into a paste before the tahini and lemon juice are added. Scrape the processor bowl when needed so the mixture becomes evenly smooth.

Texture: add water a little at a time if the hummus is too thick to spread. Keep it creamy but not runny, so it sits on the bread rather than sliding off.

Getting the dough right

Flour blend: plain flour and wholemeal spelt make a dough that is easy to roll while bringing a fuller, nutty flavour. Weigh the flour for a consistent result.

Kneading: give the dough the full 7–10 minutes in the mixer, until it feels smooth and elastic. Flour absorbs water differently, so only add extra if the dough has not come together after a couple of minutes.

Cooking the flatbreads

Pan heat: use a medium-high heat so the flatbread puffs and cooks through without lingering in the pan. Turn it once the top has ballooned, usually after 1–2 minutes.

Doneness: the second side needs about a minute, and should no longer look doughy. The later oven bake crisps the bases further, so the pan breads do not need to be fully crisp at this stage.

Roasting the tomatoes

Tomatoes: halving some and leaving others whole gives a mix of soft, juicy pieces and intact little bursts. Coat them with half the olive oil and roast for 10–15 minutes.

Cue: look for split or wrinkled skins rather than relying only on the clock. Keep an eye on them towards the end, as their size can affect how quickly they soften.

Assembling for crispness

Base: brush the flatbreads lightly with oil and bake them for 5–7 minutes, until crisp. Add the toppings afterwards so the hummus and greens do not make the bases soggy in the oven.

Finish: spread the hummus over the warm bases, then add the greens and roasted tomatoes. A final drizzle of balsamic and extra-virgin olive oil brings the toppings together.

Serving ideas

Serve the pizzas as soon as they are assembled, while the bases are crisp and the tomatoes are warm. Cut each into pieces for sharing or serve one flatbread per person.

A simple green salad or a bowl of extra chopped vegetables makes an easy accompaniment. If using rocket instead of dandelion greens, add it just before serving so it stays fresh.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chop the garlic roughly before blending so it incorporates evenly into the hummus.
• Scrape down the food processor bowl while blending to catch chickpeas clinging to the sides.
• Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to help prevent sticking.
• Let the flatbread puff before turning it, then check that the second side no longer looks doughy.
• Keep the tomatoes in a single layer on the tray so their skins can roast rather than steam.
• Assemble the pizzas just before serving to preserve the crisp bases.

Variations

• Use rocket: swap it for the dandelion greens for a similarly peppery topping.
• Make it lemonier: add a little more lemon juice to the hummus and adjust to taste.
• Change the tomatoes: use all halved tomatoes if you prefer them to soften more evenly.
• Add fresh herbs: scatter chopped parsley over the toppings just before serving.
• Use shop-bought hummus: spread it over the crisped flatbreads when you need a quicker assembly.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding too much water: the dough can become difficult to handle, so add extra only after mixing for a couple of minutes.
• Under-kneading the dough: it may lack elasticity, so knead for the full 7–10 minutes.
• Turning too soon: wait until the flatbread puffs, then cook the other side for about a minute.
• Over-roasting the tomatoes: remove them when their skins split or wrinkle, rather than letting them collapse completely.
• Topping before crisping: bake the oiled flatbreads for 5–7 minutes before adding hummus and greens.
• Assembling too early: add the toppings close to serving time to help keep the bases crisp.

How to store

For the best texture, store leftover hummus, flatbreads and toppings separately in covered containers in the fridge, and use within 2–3 days. Reheat the flatbreads in a pan or oven until warm, then add the cold hummus and toppings. Once assembled, the flatbreads are best eaten straight away.

Frequently asked questions